Laureus Sport for Good team up with Mercedes-Benz to launch a new partnership with OSCAR

This week, Laureus Sport for Good teamed up with Mercedes-Benz to launch an exciting new partnership with the OSCAR Foundation. The collaboration will see a girls sport for development programme across 8 slum communities in Mumbai, with the aim of empowering and encouraging 240 girls to reach their potential in life.

The announcement continues Mercedes-Benz India’s philosophy of taking a social responsibility lead, promoting education as a key pillar of societal engagement and development. Laureus Sport for Good supports sport for development programmes which improve the lives of children and young people in disadvantaged communities, and we are delighted that they have recognised the effective work that we have been doing as an organisation.

Roland Folger, Managing Director & CEO, Mercedes-Benz India commented on the association, “As a responsible corporate citizen, at Mercedes-Benz we have a philosophy of social contribution, and call it ‘beyond business’. Pursuing this philosophy we have decided to associate with our global partner Laureus Sport for Good in India, and use the power of sport as a social development tool. Believing in the ideology of creating a better future for everyone, Mercedes-Benz firmly supports creation of such opportunities for children and adolescents who have the potential to make the world a better place. As we grow in this dynamic country, we are glad to partner with Laureus and support OSCAR, supporting them in making a positive change in the lives of children and young people.”

Sean Fitzpatrick, Chairman of Laureus World Sports Academy, said: “This is a major boost for the work Laureus does in India and the partnership with Mercedes-Benz India will have a dramatic effect on how many young people we are able to help. We are delighted to support new promising programmes which will have a deep impact on the girls in these communities and further prove how sport can change lives.”

Through the partnership, Laureus Sport for Good will offer its expertise in the Sport for Development sector, assisting OSCAR with research, evaluation and support in our efforts to use sport as a tool to end violence, discrimination and disadvantage among India’s youth.

Ashok Rathod, Founder and Director, OSCAR Foundation commented,

“We are very excited to work with two great organizations like Mercedes and Laureus sport for good. For our work to be recognized by them is a great achievement for the OSCAR Foundation. Coming from low income families there are many serious issues that young girls are faced with today, gender inequality, child marriage and the high risk of being sent to work at a very young age, at the expense of their education. We know that sport has the power for social change, working across 8 slum communities in Mumbai, this partnership is going to tackle these issues and give 240 underprivileged girls the confidence and life skills needed to complete their education and become active roles models for their own community development.”